Konaté jokes Mbappé calls 'every two hours' as Liverpool contract enters final year

Ibrahima Konaté joked that Kylian Mbappé calls him “every two hours” to try to persuade him to join Real Madrid as the Liverpool centre-back enters the final year of his contract at Anfield.

The remark came in an interview with Telefoot, where Konaté — a close friend and regular team-mate of Mbappé for France — was asked whether the Paris Saint-Germain forward had tried to convince him to move to the Spanish club. When asked if he could speak Spanish, Konaté replied “no.”

Konaté joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 and has made 136 appearances for the club, helping the Reds win the Premier League, the FA Cup and two League Cups. With one year remaining on his deal, his future at Liverpool has attracted attention amid reports that Real Madrid have been monitoring his situation.

Spanish sports daily Marca has reported interest from Real Madrid; the club has made several high-profile signings on free transfers in recent seasons, including Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba. Those moves have heightened concern among Liverpool officials about the possibility of losing Konaté on a free transfer if contract talks do not progress.

Konaté has been a regular in both Liverpool’s and France’s squads but has drawn mixed assessments during the early weeks of the current campaign, with praise for some performances accompanied by scrutiny of others. He started France’s 2-0 win over Ukraine on Friday, in which Mbappé scored, and has featured alongside the forward for Les Bleus on 20 occasions.

Liverpool acknowledged Konaté’s contributions since his arrival but has been balancing squad planning as contracts for several players enter their final years. Real Madrid strengthened their squad this summer with the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold after his Liverpool contract expired, a transfer that adds context to ongoing speculation around moves involving current Liverpool players.

Konaté’s comments to Telefoot were light-hearted and emphasised his close relationship with Mbappé rather than signaling any imminent transfer. France are next scheduled to host Iceland on Tuesday, where Konaté could again start as he continues to represent his country while his club future remains unresolved.

Contract negotiations and transfer interest can evolve quickly in the modern game; at present there has been no confirmation from Liverpool, Real Madrid or Konaté’s representatives of any formal offer or agreement. Club officials and interested parties will likely monitor the defender’s performances and contractual developments through the season.